Compare the2025 Kia SportageVS 2025 Chevrolet Equinox

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Sportage are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sportage’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Equinox doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Sportage’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sportage and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The Sportage comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Equinox’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Equinox. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Equinox ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Sportage has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Equinox’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 7 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

The Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (187 vs. 175) than the Equinox FWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Sportage’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (187 vs. 175) than the Equinox AWD’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Sportage FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Equinox FWD 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder CVT FWD (25 city/32 hwy vs. 26 city/28 hwy).

For better stopping power the Sportage’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Equinox:

The Sportage has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Sportage flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Sportage has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Sportage X-Pro handles at .81 G’s, while the Equinox RS AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sportage X-Pro executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Equinox RS AWD (27.9 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

The Sportage has .5 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear legroom and 1.7 inches more rear hip room than the Equinox.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Sportage’s rear seats recline. The Equinox’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Equinox with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 29.8 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Equinox with its rear seat folded (74.1 vs. 63.5 cubic feet).

The Sportage’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Equinox’s (2500 vs. 800 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sportage uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Equinox doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Sportage EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line/X-Pro’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches. The Equinox’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Sportage X-Pro to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Equinox doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Sportage’s optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Equinox doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Sportage, based on reliability, safety and performance.